In all the discussion about learning management systems, open educational resources (OERs), massive open online courses (MOOCs), and the benefits and challenges of online learning, perhaps the most important issues concern how technology is changing the way we teach, and - more importantly - the way students learn. For want of a better term, we call this “pedagogy.”

What is clear is that major changes in the way we teach post-secondary students are being triggered by online learning and the new technologies that increase flexibility in, and access to, post-secondary education.

I AM A {SOCIAL} LIBRARIAN infographic - Free download! | Library Connect: "Social today means so much more than sending a tweet or posting to Facebook. The social librarian is enmeshed in the fabric of the Internet of Things as curator, educator, filter and beacon. In this complex, dynamic and demanding environment, librarians are extending themselves and empowering library users.

In recognition of this, Elsevier's Library Connect Newsletter (@library_connect) and Joe Murphy (@libraryfuture), Librarian & Technology Analyst/Trend Spotter, offer up a visual portrait of The Social Librarian, and invite you to download and post, share on your social streams, and discuss with your library stakeholders."

Coursera's new Global Learning Hub program

At Coursera, we envision a future where everyone has access to a world-class education. We strive to create and deliver experiences that break down daily barriers that stand in the way of successful learning. Today, in support of our goals, we’re delighted to announce a new initiative- Coursera Learning Hubs - that will offer people around the world physical spaces where they can access the Internet to take a Coursera course, while learning alongside peers in an interactive, facilitated setting. All for free.

Coursera’s Learning Hubs initiative aims to extend opportunities for students to connect to a great education. Together with leading organizations, we hope to empower local communities worldwide with technology access, content facilitators, and a peer group of learners based on existing infrastructure. Learning Hubs will provide the benefits of in-person social learning with online content from over 100 Coursera partners in a blended learning experience. We believe this is an important step in reducing geographic and connectivity barriers.

We are excited to be partnering with Coursera. Together, we hope that we can identify new models for blended online and in-person learning, offer students new skills and knowledge, and help connect them to U.S. higher education institutions.

Local Access and Support

In addition to accessing online courses across Coursera’s catalog, students near a Learning Hub can take part in in-person sessions for select courses, where they can learn alongside others and work with a local facilitator who hasfamiliarity with the subject. Depending on the technology availability and meeting frequency, in-person sessions can revolve around discussions, tutoring or projects that run parallel to the online course.

Starting today, we’re actively looking for additional partners to host Learning Hubs within their own communities. If you are interested in starting a Learning Hub or have questions about program details and requirements, check out our Learning Hubs page.

We’re very excited for the possibilities that Learning Hubs will open up for students receiving increased access and support, and for educators looking for data, best practices and models for blended learning!

Get online without WiFi, 4G LTE or even 3G with Be-Bound’s Android app

Be-Bound has launched an app for Android devices that promises to keep your connection to the Internet flowing, even when you have no data connection or WiFi available to you.

While it might sound like magic, it is in fact a bit more simple than that. The app uses text messages as the ‘transport layer’ for the data, allowing you to keep doing things like checking your mail, or the weather or other local information using its specially made apps.

It also works when you do have a data connection too, but is clearly designed to cut back on the costs associated with using data while roaming abroad or for ad-hoc data usage outside of your bundle in your home country or when you have no data coverage. When accessing info via SMS, users need Be-Bound credits called Be-Miles – currently 80 Be-Miles costs £4.68, which is around $7.50 if converted into dollars.

As education continues to evolve, adding in new trends, technologies, standards, and 21st century thinking habits, there is one constant that doesn’t change.

The human brain.

But neuroscience isn’t exactly accessible to most educators, rarely published, and when it is, it’s often full of odd phrasing and intimidating jargon. Worse, there seems to be a disconnect between the dry science of neurology, and the need teachers have for relevant tools, resources, and strategies in the classroom. In regards to the disconnect, we’ll continue to strive to create content that is both expert and accessible, as The Simple Things I Do To Promote Brain-Based Learning In My Classroom

As for the jargon, Judy Willis, teacher, neuroscientist, and consultant has put together an A-Z glossary of relevant neuroscience terms for teachers and administrators to help clarify the jargon. Willis’ writing has been published on edutopia, TeachThought, and Psychology Today, among other sites, and her work in this field has been especially relevant at a time of such great change in education.

Massive open online courses, SPOCs – self-paced open courses that may become MOOCs – and university hubs generated most interest at the fourth annual international conference on “Reinventing Higher Education”, which took place in Spain from 7-8 October.

The conference, which had the theme “Time for New Frontiers and Cross-collaboration in Higher Education”, was organised by Madrid-based IE University, a private non-profit institution owned by the Instituto de Empresa SL.'via Blog this'

"If you work for a large company, you likely dealt with an onboarding process. Perhaps little quizzes or pamphlets. I recently enjoyed this precise exercise while joining TechCrunch a few months ago, given that our corporate boss AOL is a fan of all things ancient."

Started in February 2012, Eliademy is backed by CBTec Ltd, a company founded by ex-Nokia veterans, who possess core expertise in Open Source Technology. Eliademy was built using Open Source Technology in cooperation with Finnish educators and learners and it is free of charge.

"Our mission is to democratize education with technology. This mission comes from our belief that education should be available to all and everywhere. Going back to history, the great philosopher Plato started the first Academy in the world in an olive tree grove, also known as Elia in Greek. It was a remarkable event which laid the foundation for human education. However, Plato's Academy was an exclusive academy only free to the people of Athens. Applying the same philosophy and taking it further, we think education should be available to everyone all over the world, thus we created Eliademy."

Eliademy supports educators and students with free online classrooms that enable them create, share and manage courses. Universities, colleges, trainers, coaches, hobby clubs among others can use it as a free learning management system and course content created by the teacher will always belong to them. With its smart and friendly interface, fast and easy to use features, educators are able to engage students with features such as discussion boards, videos, images, newsfeed, visual notifications and calendar, anytime, from any corner of the world.

LTI-compliant learning resources

With LTI compliant learning resources, you will be able to attach external tools, providing you with a variety of learning materials to enrich your online course. Such external learning tools include Khan Academy, Google Charts, TED Ed among others. Imagine powering your course with an educative video from Khan Academy, educational and inspiring talk from TED Ed or utilizing Quizlet flashcards for study terms and definitions in a subject. These are just tips of what you could do with this new functionality of our e-learning platform.

And it is easy to use. By simply clicking “add content” in the edit mode, select external tool and you will get a drop down list of activated external tools. For a quick glimpse, see the image below but I encourage you to login, try it out and experience it yourself.

We all know that the web is full of excellent web resources for science teachers and students. However, unless you live on the web, finding the best websites can become quite a challenge. This isn't a "Top Ten" list -- instead, it is a list of websites that I either use on a regular basis or just find interesting. From teaching resources for the nature of science and authentic field journals to wacky videos about numbers, I am sure that you will find something in the following list the works for you!in Edutopia'via Blog this'

One of the most significant scientific discoveries of the early 21st century is surely the Higgs boson, but the boson and the Higgs Field that allows for that magic particle are extremely difficult to grasp. Don Lincoln outlines an analogy (originally conceived by David Miller) that all of us can appreciate, starring a large dinner party, a raucous group of physicists, and Nobel Prize Winner Peter Higgs himself.

Keep up, keep up. If you've only just caught on to the concept of online university courses called Moocs, then you're in danger of falling behind again.

Harvard, one of the world's most influential universities, is moving on to Spocs - which stands for small private online courses. Nothing to do with Star Trek and sombre Vulcans, but plenty to do with ambitions "to boldly go".

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

The discovery of the Higgs boson

The University of Edinburgh/ FutureLearn MOOC course requires a basic level of mathematical skills, at the level of a final-year school pupil. A basic knowledge of physics is helpful, but not required. Starts on 10 February.

Microsoft has submitted a patent for a "head-mounted display" that looks a lot like the company's leaked Kinect Glasses. The patent application was filed in early 2012, and made public this week. Microsoft describes a multiplayer system that lets game players invite other users via a head-mounted display device. Illustrations attached to the patent show a pair of glasses that include sensors to locate users, track gestures, and read the environment of a game player.More inhttp://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/10/22/microsoft-readies-answer-to-google-glass/

Gerard is chair and professor of the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State, a unique academic department that offers the world's only Master of Science degree in Creativity and Change Leadership.

Creativity as a Life Skill

In the face of a fast changing and increasingly more complex world, many argue that creativity and innovation are crucial 21st century skills. Unfortunately schools and organizations seem to be ill equipped to promote this critical skill. Discover what you can do to reclaim and sustain this life skill.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

At Nokia World in Abu Dhabi today, Nokia unveiled its first tablet: the Lumia 2520. The Windows RT 8.1 device will ship this fall for $499; initial roll out will be in the US, the UK, and Finland, with additional countries to follow “shortly after.”The Lumia 2520 comes with a 10.1-inch 1080p HD display. Nokia touts it is as being designed “to provide the best outdoor and indoor readability of any tablet.”More in